Tea, Anyone?

In the Aftermath of Grief

Hali — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:59:51 GMT

for Reema

I remember your face
as it was the day before the April snows.
We danced together,
swirling skirts and twirling feet.

I see you
on the train, turning your head
hair swinging out across
my vision as if you
stood feet from me.
I could reach out, touch your hand,
lean in, ask if you remember
our routine and say,
“It’s good to see you. It’s been too long.”

But fall is ending and the damp cold reminds me
Death is permanent.

Bring On The Poems

Hali — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:44:21 GMT

It's been weeks! Sickness and new job do not the poet make. I need to reinspire myself. I actually have a contest deadline coming up on Nov. 30th. I'd like to submit one of my poems. Not sure which one yet or maybe I just haven't written the right one yet.

I'm thinking this week we might take a look at seasonal poems. Thanksgiving starts to feel like the inbetween of Fall and Winter to me. So, pick a season, doesn't have to be the one we find ourselves in, and write away! It can be a love poem to your favorite season or a hate poem to your seasonal nemesis.

Sorry, I've been lazy. :)

Poem of the Week: Oct. 19

Hali — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:18:09 GMT

Fall is really here now and I find myself looking forward to different kinds of fall and winter foods. Like apple pie and pumpkin bread, food that we don't eat the rest of the year. I think I'm going to make myself an apple pie for my upcoming birthday (Nov. 5). It'll be the first one of the season, for me anyway. So, I thought maybe this week we'd try food poems. Write a little something about your favorite fall/winter food.

Happy eating! I mean writing!

Poem of the Week: Oct. 12

Hali — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:17:09 GMT

I'm a little late posting my weekly prompt. I enjoyed doing Diva's prompt last night rather than post my own. If you have not used her prompt, it's a great one and you should check it out here. I encourage you all to try this exercise.

In other news, I have had some opportunities arrise this week. I don't want to jinx it or anything but I have a job interview tomorrow. *crosses fingers* So, I thought maybe this week we could focus on opportunity. Let's be opportunists. Take advantage of every day and write a fantabuloustic poem.

Diva's Bio Poetry Prompt

Hali — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:48:04 GMT

I'm responding to Diva's prompt. Check the other PNN responses linked from her post!

Hali
open-hearted, grounded, intellectual, natural
Daughter of the fall leaves and winter’s kiss
Lover of walking city blocks, breathing fresh sea air, learning how to be alive
Who feels compassionate, calm, at home
Who finds happiness in reading books and weaving words
Who needs fresh days that whisper tomorrow is always different
Who gives
Who fears having loved ones taken
Who would like to see religious peace, abolition of weapons, love for all
Who enjoys dancing until exhausted
Who likes to wear autumn draped over shoulders
Resident of Infinity

Poem of the Week: Oct. 5

Hali — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:06:46 GMT

We are finding ourselves more and more everyday in a time of unprecedented change. People are pushing from all sides on the environment, health insurance, health care, unemployment, human rights, and many more hot button issues. It can be exahusting to feel as though we are going nowhere despite the obvious need to progress in all of these.

This week, let's pick a current event that has made you stop and think, that has grabbed you and said, "Hey, I'm inportant!!! Change!" and we'll write poems about it. You can Twitter your poem (quite fun) or you can just write it out in the comment section, or on your blog and link us to it.

Go forth and change the world with your words!!! YES WE CAN (Do I sound like Obama yet?)

Twitter Poem

Hali — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 20:26:02 GMT

Here is the poem I put together from the Twitter poems I wrote last week. The first one is the poem edited and the second is just the Tweets put together in the order they were written.

I'm breathing deep today
making up for years of shallow gasping breath
in hopes of easing knots.
Past misdeeds are reminding me to let go.
They've huddled up, started a coup,
left me wishing I could just work this out.
Now I'm giving in to
heavy yesterdays like pregnant rain clouds-
waiting for release. I've got to drop down,
crawl into new beginnings.
But I’m finding myself here before moving on-
stuck with feet in air, no shoes, unsure where I'm going.
Until dawn finds my feet touching ground
on a path leading out from yesterday.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm breathing deep today
making up for years of shallow gasping breath.
Breathing deep, closing eyes, rolling neck
in hopes of easing knots.
Past misdeeds are reminding me to let go.
They've huddled up, started a coup,
left me wishing I could just work this out.
Now I'm giving in.
Heavy yesterdays like pregnant rain clouds-
waiting for release. I've got to drop down
and crawl into new beginnings.
And I'm finding myself here before moving on.
Stuck with feet in air and no shoes, unsure where I'm going.
When the morning comes I know I'll find
my feet have wandered back to earth
and my path from yesterday has continued into today.

Birth of Fall

Hali — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:15:21 GMT

When fall trickled in,

puddled in streets,

I tip-toed down first

in hush of cold winds.

Let my nose grow cold

facing the death of summer.

Poem of the Week: Sept. 28

Hali — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:53:47 GMT

Per Verby's suggestion last week, I'd like to build off of our Twitter poetry prompt. This week I'd like to see us write a Twitter poem a day and then put them together at the end of the week and see what kind of poems we have. So, each day write a poem that is 140 characters or less and then we will combine them at the end of the week. You can choose to really think about the previous days poem when writing the next piece or just let it flow naturally and be surprised when it's all done.

Good luck! I can't wait to read them.

Poem of the Week: Sept. 21

Hali — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:35:15 GMT

Twitter is huge. There is no denying it's popularity. It's even become a popular platform for poetry. So, let's try some tweetery...or just some poetry in 140 charachters or less. Since they are so little, write as many as you can this week and share them here and on twitter.

Here is my first go at twitter poetry:

Fall creeps through window with last rays of sunshine. My toes are beginning to cool but my heart warms faster to city sound and texture.

Oh and my twitter name is @halibythesea.

Poem of the Week: Sept. 14

Hali — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:53:32 GMT

The weather in Seattle has been absolutely beautiful the few weeks that I have been here. I guess that's not always the case. But if it was beautiful all the time we wouldn't apprecaite it in the same way. And sometimes the bad weather brings out the best in our creative side. Sometimes there is nothing better than a thunderstorm.

So, this week I'd like to see us use weather imagery in our poems.

Poetry is Alive within Us

Hali — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 19:13:33 GMT

I was perusing the Seattle Times this morning and I round this article, "Poetry helps lead retired teacher out of darkness following stroke." I think any of us who truly love poetry (reading or writing it) can feel the truth in this article. There are many times when poetry has made me feel more alive emotionally and physically. When you read a truly good poem, it lifts you and you feel it deep within. Sometimes you cannot even explain the feeling. And when I write poetry there is a release.

I'm glad that others recognize the power of the poetic word.

Poem of the Week?

Hali — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 23:32:49 GMT

So, I've been slack on posting these for two months now. Actually, I've been slack on writing poems for two months now. I was a little upset after being rejected and had to take a hiatis. But here I am in Seattle and thinking I don't have an excuse to continue my unexcused absence from poetry. So, if you will forgive me, I'd like start these up again.

My thoughts this week are on new beginnings. Having just moved and having taken a break from writing recently, I think it's an appropriate topic to focus on this week. Let's, however, avoid babies because they are such a typical representation of new beginnings.

I hope I've lured you back into writing with me. I'll post a poem later in the week. It's on my to do list. :)

---------------------------------------------

This isn't exactly a happy poem and it only loosely applies to the above topic. But, when I sat down to write this is what I was thinking.

I’ve started to recognize
homeless men
in the alley, on the corner,
shining shoes. Before they were
piles of clothing without faces,
now they have personalities—
muttering, “I’m hungry, I’m hungry, I’m hungry.”
Walking zombie like, hand stretched out
as I slide past, eyes down because I never have change.
Truth is, even if I did, I wouldn’t give.
I’ve seen you in the doorway across the alley
needle out.

Expected Disappointment

Hali — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 20:48:00 GMT

A few months ago I submitted two poems to a contest with Meridian from the University of Virginia. This morning I got the email announcing the winners who will be published in a book. It's called 50 Best New Poets (Insert year here). I didn't get picked.

I guess I kind of assumed I would not be selected but I was still pretty disappointed. You know there is always that tiny little chance that you will be until you aren't.

So now I have to pick myself back up and find new places to submit. Or maybe I need to work on revising my poetry. Although, they didn't give notes so I don't know what's wrong with it. Perhaps it's just not their style. I hope that's it and it's not that I'm actually a bad poet.

I like to think that I'm a pretty good poet...

The Moment of Pause

Hali — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:17:51 GMT

My feet are up, again.
Have been all day
like I’m pregnant on bed rest—
expectantly overdue
as is the breeze around here.
Still air, still feet,
still drumming fingers against thigh.
Can I take the first step,
set sole to floor?
Or will I remain here in
the moment of pause?